Midnight Eternity
by Anita
Summary: Sawyer is unable to quiet the thoughts in his head, so his heart begins to make some decisions.


This is the final fic I have written for the 5trueloves challenge on Livejournal. Spoilers up to 4x08 Meet Kevin Johnson. My challenge is over, but it was quite fun! :)

* * *

2) Sleep

**Midnight Eternity**

The night air was surprisingly calm, yet Sawyer's mind was locked in turmoil. The peaceful lull seemed to mock his heated sentiments.

Sawyer gritted his teeth, biting down hard on the anger that had begun to bubble up.

_Michael_. The name sounded bitter, even in his head. They had all worked so hard to help him with the raft; Sawyer had been furious when the Others had taken Walt. But all of that had been thrown away the moment Michael had set them up, betrayed them. The torture Sawyer had endured erased any and all favourable feelings he had had for Michael.

Sawyer shivered as another thought lingered in his mind. _Ana Lucia_. A woman who's memory was slowly yet surely slipping away from Sawyer, he realized with shame. Michael had killed her in cold blood, and for what? To rescue and free the bastard Ben?

Sawyer had been with Ana during some of her final moments, had been crushed by the weight of her murder.

It was the first time he had truly understood that nothing and nobody on the island was safe.

And now that feeling had resurfaced, leaving Sawyer to wonder just what his future held. He found his legs leading him away from Locke's camp and towards the beach.

* * *

They had not left each other on the best of terms, but Sawyer knew that he should see her. He **had** to see her, even if she didn't want to see him. He needed the peace of mind.

Sawyer needed to see Kate's face again, just to know that she was safe.

He pulled back the tarp of her tent, hoping to find her sleeping soundly, hoping that he could have his conscience cleared and return as quickly as he had come.

But Kate was nowhere to be found.

_Where is she?_ Sawyer felt his heart dip low into his stomach and swallowed hard, hoping all of his worst fears had not been realized.

His eyes scanned the beach to find a lone figure sitting silently at the edge of the shore. It was her.

Sawyer stepped closer. "Hey."

Kate looked up in a daze, her eyes widening as she recognized the voice. "Sawyer, what are you doing here?"

"I came to see you." Sawyer mumbled. Kate nodded in understanding, unperturbed by his seemingly senseless actions. As if she had been expecting it all along.

He sat next to her. "I couldn't sleep." Sawyer admitted.

"Neither could I…" Kate whispered back.

The conversation died and Kate simply placed her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her, stroking her hair back gently. She placed a small peck on his cheek in return.

Any other day of any other week he would have been certain that something was wrong with her or that something was wrong with him. Something was wrong with them. They were **never** silent. It wasn't their way. They abhorred the calm before the storm, the stillness they had never become accustomed to in their lives off of the island.

They were constantly searching, and that was how they had found one another in the first place.

Sawyer and Kate were the epitome of restless. That was precisely why it was so hard for them to be happy together. They chased and struggled and fought until their final breaths. They were just far too alike. It was their undoing.

But tonight was different, Sawyer knew that. Their pasts had slipped away, along with the setting sun.

Tonight it wasn't about them anymore. It was about everyone they had lost, everyone they would lose and everyone in between.

"Kate, I –" But Sawyer had no desire to break the spell. Whatever the moment had become, he wanted it to remain that way. He had no right to break away; he barely knew what he was doing. He barely understood what any of them were doing now.

Sawyer was afraid.

Kate shifted in his arms and Sawyer dropped his eyes to her face. She was fast asleep.

He smiled to himself and pulled her closer, shutting his eyes and blocking out the world one last time.

* * *

Sawyer woke just as the sun began to rise. A point of brilliance lying just beyond the horizon. Kate was still sound asleep in his arms.

Sawyer lifted her up, taking her back to her tent. He placed her down as quietly as he could manage, not wanting to wake her. She did not even stir.

He smiled once more to himself, watching her drowsed form. It wasn't often he was able to see her looking so serene, so vulnerable. So innocent.

Sawyer was thankful that the rest of the beach-dwellers had yet to awaken. He could leave, back to Locke's settlement, without a trace.

Without any regrets.

Because he was certain, somehow he knew that she would be safe. Because Sawyer was now sure that she would find her way back to him.


End file.
